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Dallas Cowboys believe their offensive line has improved, but numbers tell a different story
By Brandon George / Reporter
bgeorge@dallasnews.com
12:13 pm on October 8, 2013
Coach Jason Garrett said Monday he believes the Dallas Cowboys can be in attack mode on offense more “than in previous years because we are a better offensive line.
“We have really helped ourselves up front with the addition of some players,” Garrett added. “It allows you to play a little more down hill at them running the football and in the passing game.”
Garrett has said over and over how much better the offensive line has played, but if you believe numbers don’t lie, then he’s mostly blowing smoke.
Certainly, signing a six-time Pro Bowl guard in Brian Waters and drafting a first-round center in Travis Frederick should make a big difference.
But the bottom line:
Through five games, Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo has been sacked 13 times. In each of the last two seasons, Romo was sacked nine times through five games.
And the jump in sacks allowed isn’t a product of more pass attempts. Romo has dropped back to pass 201 times. Through five games in 2012 he had 196 drop-backs and 202 in 2011.
The Cowboys haven’t improved their rushing offense either. They’ve rushed for 461 yards and two touchdowns. Through five games last season, they had 498 rushing yards and two touchdowns. And remember, the Cowboys finished 2012 with the lowest 16-game rushing total in franchise history (1,265 yards).
If the Cowboys are so confident in their offensive line they would run more. The Cowboys have only 103 rushing attempts. That’s 18 fewer than they had at this point last year when they tied a team record for fewest rushing attempts in a 16-game season of 355.
The Cowboys are on pace for only 330 rushing attempts. They’re in position to make a run at the NFL record for fewest rushing attempts in a 16-game season of 304, set in 2006 by the Detroit Lions.
By Brandon George / Reporter
bgeorge@dallasnews.com
12:13 pm on October 8, 2013
Coach Jason Garrett said Monday he believes the Dallas Cowboys can be in attack mode on offense more “than in previous years because we are a better offensive line.
“We have really helped ourselves up front with the addition of some players,” Garrett added. “It allows you to play a little more down hill at them running the football and in the passing game.”
Garrett has said over and over how much better the offensive line has played, but if you believe numbers don’t lie, then he’s mostly blowing smoke.
Certainly, signing a six-time Pro Bowl guard in Brian Waters and drafting a first-round center in Travis Frederick should make a big difference.
But the bottom line:
Through five games, Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo has been sacked 13 times. In each of the last two seasons, Romo was sacked nine times through five games.
And the jump in sacks allowed isn’t a product of more pass attempts. Romo has dropped back to pass 201 times. Through five games in 2012 he had 196 drop-backs and 202 in 2011.
The Cowboys haven’t improved their rushing offense either. They’ve rushed for 461 yards and two touchdowns. Through five games last season, they had 498 rushing yards and two touchdowns. And remember, the Cowboys finished 2012 with the lowest 16-game rushing total in franchise history (1,265 yards).
If the Cowboys are so confident in their offensive line they would run more. The Cowboys have only 103 rushing attempts. That’s 18 fewer than they had at this point last year when they tied a team record for fewest rushing attempts in a 16-game season of 355.
The Cowboys are on pace for only 330 rushing attempts. They’re in position to make a run at the NFL record for fewest rushing attempts in a 16-game season of 304, set in 2006 by the Detroit Lions.